Method and system for battery rental

Abstract

A method for battery rental is proposed to include steps of: acquiring a contract identifier that indicates a type of a rental contract for a battery device to be used in a vehicle, and transmitting the contract identifier to the battery device for storage therein; transmitting a vehicle identifier corresponding to the vehicle to the battery device for storage therein; and transmitting the contract identifier and the vehicle identifier to a cloud server for storage therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for battery rental, comprising:
 a setting procedure that includes:
 (ST-1) by a service end electronic device of a service end which provides a battery rental service, acquiring a contract identifier that indicates a type of a rental contract for a battery device, and transmitting the contract identifier to the battery device for storage of the contract identifier in the battery device, wherein the service end electronic device is communicatively coupled to a cloud server via a communication network, and the battery device is put out for rental by the service end and for use in a vehicle; 
 (ST-2) by the service end electronic device, transmitting a vehicle identifier that corresponds to the vehicle and a battery identifier that corresponds to the battery device to the battery device for storage of the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier in the battery device; 
 (ST-3) by the service end electronic device, transmitting the vehicle identifier, the battery identifier and the contract identifier to the cloud server; and 
 (ST-4) by the cloud server, storing the vehicle identifier, the battery identifier and the contract identifier therein, and annotating a relationship among the vehicle identifier, the battery identifier and the contract identifier after receipt of the vehicle identifier, the battery identifier and the contract identifier. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said setting procedure further includes, between step (ST-1) and step (ST-2): by the service end electronic device, acquiring a user identifier from a user barcode that is displayed on a user end electronic device of a user who corresponds to the vehicle, and transmitting the user identifier to the battery device for storage of the user identifier in the battery device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, after the setting procedure, a service procedure that includes:
 (SV-1) by the service end electronic device, acquiring the contract identifier from the battery device;   (SV-2) by the service end electronic device, determining whether the contract identifier acquired in step (SV-1) corresponds to a predetermined value;   (SV-3) by the service end electronic device, displaying a charging message instructing one to charge the battery device upon determining in step (SV-2) that the contract identifier corresponds to the predetermined value; and   (SV-4) by the service end electronic device, displaying a replacing message instructing one to replace the battery device with another battery device upon determining in step (SV-2) that the contract identifier does not correspond to the predetermined value.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein step (ST-3) further includes: by the service end electronic device, transmitting the user identifier to the cloud server; and
 wherein step (ST-4) further includes: by the service end electronic device, storing the user identifier therein, and annotating a relationship among the user identifier, the vehicle identifier, the battery identifier and the contract identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (ST-2) includes:
 by the service end electronic device, acquiring the vehicle identifier from a vehicle barcode that is disposed on the vehicle and that corresponds to the vehicle identifier;   by the service end electronic device, acquiring the battery identifier from a battery barcode that is disposed on the battery device and that corresponds to the battery identifier; and   by the service end electronic device, transmitting the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier to the battery device using a near file communication (NFC) protocol.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in step (ST-2), the service end electronic device transmits the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier to the battery device using a near field communication (NFC) protocol. 
     
     
         7 . A system for battery rental, comprising:
 a vehicle;   a cloud server;   a battery device that is put out for rental by a service end and that is capable of being removably installed on said vehicle for providing electric power to said vehicle; and   a service end electronic device of the service end that is communicatively coupled to said cloud server via a communication network, and configured to   acquire a contract identifier that indicates a type of a rental contract for said battery device,   acquire, from said vehicle, a vehicle identifier that corresponds to said vehicle,   acquire, from said battery device, a battery identifier that corresponds to said battery device,   transmit the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier to said battery device for storage of the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier in said battery device, and   transmit the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier to said cloud server over the communication network;   wherein said cloud server is configured to annotate, upon receipt of the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier, a relationship among the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier, and store the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a user end electronic device of a user who corresponds to said vehicle, said user end electronic device being configured to display a user barcode corresponding to a user identifier;
 wherein said service end electronic device is further configured to acquire the user identifier from the user barcode displayed on said user end electronic device, transmit the user identifier to said battery device for storage of the user identifier in said battery device, and transmit the user identifier to said cloud server; and   wherein said cloud server is configured to store the user identifier, and to annotate a relationship among the user identifier, the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said service end electronic device is further configured to acquire the contract identifier stored in said battery device, determine whether the contract identifier stored in said battery device corresponds to a predetermined value, display a charging message instructing one to charge the battery device upon determining that the contract identifier stored in said battery device corresponds to the predetermined value, and display a replacing message instructing one to replace said battery device with another battery device upon determining that the contract identifier stored in said battery device does not correspond to the predetermined value. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said vehicle has a vehicle barcode that corresponds to the vehicle identifier disposed thereon, and said battery device has a battery barcode that corresponds to the battery identifier disposed thereon; and
 wherein said service end electronic device is configured to acquire the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier from the vehicle barcode and the battery barcode, respectively.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of said service end electronic device and said battery device includes a near field communication (NFC) module, said NFC module of said service end electronic device is configured to communicate with said NFC module of said battery device using an NFC protocol for transmitting the contract identifier, the vehicle identifier and the battery identifier to said battery device.